Sauber ‘happy’ although step behind Ferrari

Monisha Kaltenborn says Sauber is “happy” with its engine supplier Ferrari. That is despite the fact the small Swiss team is a step behind the works outfit in the technical specification of its turbo V6 ‘power unit’.

But Kaltenborn has played that down, insisting: “If you are last, you would not be first only because of the engine.

“It’s part of the game, so if you are not happy, you should make your own engine,” the Hinwil based team’s boss and co-owner smiled.

What Kaltenborn is happier about is that FIA president Jean Todt has vowed to get engine costs down for struggling private teams in the new hybrid power era.

“We understand that we need to pay for engines,” she said, “but the price is too high and does not correspond with the direction I think we want to go in.

“Hopefully, common sense prevails.”

On the bright side for Sauber, the team has been able to convince Briton Mark Smith, formerly of Caterham and Red Bull, to move to Hinwil to become technical director.

Sauber driver Felipe Nasr told Brazil’s Globo: “I do not know him but I know that he is very experienced.

“It is the beginning of the solutions that are needed at Sauber.” (GMM)